Scholars Boosters

We would like to thank all of the donors who contributed at the various levels of our fundraising campaign that kicked off our organization in January of 2016. Below are our "Founding Scholars Boosters" who contributed to the initial campaign. We plan to continue the organization in the fall. Registration packets will include a list of the various ways the Scholars Boosters funds have been used to advance programs and activities at school and a flat donation request level of $25.00 in which we hope all of our Scholars Academy parents will participate. We appreciate all of the families who contributed to PBIS student of the month prizes, who volunteered at "A Visit With Santa," and who plan to volunteer at the PBIS Reward Parties during the last week of school. Scroll down in the blog to see information about volunteering at the PBIS Reward Parties. Thank you to our Scholars Family!

The end of the school year is near and with that, finals week and its legendary reward parties for students with excellent attendance and grades. This year, the reward parties will include a movie and a snack bar with food and drinks available for purchase. The snack bar is a fundraiser for PBIS, and all food and drink will be $1. We are asking for your assistance with staffing the snack bar.

Below you can find a spreadsheet on which you can sign up. The days/dates and times are listed for each period. Teachers will be present during each period to monitor the students as well. We need 2 volunteers for each time slot. Feel free to invite/sign-up with a friend AND forward this opportunity on to others.

Thank you in advance for your support of the Scholars Academy students during finals week. Marcy Sizemore (marcy_size@yahoo.com) will be in touch with final instructions next weekend.

The date for A Visit With Santa is set for December 10 from 9-11 a.m. Our Scholars Boosters parents held a lucrative bake sale at the event last year. Marcy Sizemore has graciously agreed to chair the bake sale this year. Please contact her if you would like to donate a cake or if you would like to help man the table the day of the event. Her email is is: marcy_size@yahoo.com.

Click the button above if you would like to see an overview of what we did last year: students and teachers from strings, drama, English language arts, and visual arts performing and interacting with our visitors. A full display of our Thomasville City Schools Science and Engineering Fair was held in the Multipurpose Room, and we are planning to include that again as well. We are adding a "Christmas Around World" component from our Social Studies Department. This event involved nearly zero expense, made money, and showcased our awesome school for the community.

In addition to donating cakes and helping man the bake sale, we will most likely need some help setting up tables after school on December 9. The most important thing will be for us to talk it up in the community. A graphic will be posted on official_scholars Instagram and on the Thomasville City Scholars Academy Facebook page. There will be a billboard running in town, and we will also deliver flyers to the elementary schools and possibly the preschools in town. If you all have any other ideas about promoting the event, please email Desirée Celaya: celayad@tcitys.org.

​We hope you all have had a great start to the year! We did a get small response from the donation letters that were sent out in each student's registration folder at the beginning of the year. There is a framed poster near our front office displaying the names of our sponsors. We appreciate all of the contributions that were made toward the Principal's Fund through our Ten Years of Scholars campaign.

Scholars Academy science teacher Christie Ariail, one of the PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) Program committee members at our school, is asking for donations for prizes for our "Student of the Month" program. Last year we gave out prizes, like restaurant gift cards, to students chosen through the weekly ticket drawing. Those prizes came from teacher contributions and donations from businesses in the community. Ariail sent out about 70 letters to businesses and has received minimal response. We are not doing the ticket drawing each week this year, and we are still low on prizes for just the monthy acknowledgement.

We realize that many of you donated to the Principal's Fund through the fundraising campaign, but if you didn't get around to donating through the campaign, this is a great opportunity to donate to a program that works hard to keep procedures and policies in place at our school, all the while rewarding those who are doing the right thing!

Donations can be dropped off at the front office to Mrs. Ariail's attention.

Please check the Scholars Boosters area on the website from time to time. We do have the auditorium reserved for December 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for A Visit With Santa. We plan to pull in some other student organizations so that the brunt of the work won't fall on one group of adults. Please email Desiree Celaya if you are interested in helping with this event. The Bake Sale at the event was particularly successful, so stay tuned for information about who will chair that area of the event. The success of the entire event will depend on who all is willing to help! Click HERE to see the page from our Scholars Showcase magazine that featured A Visit With Santa.

We are happy to display the names of families and businesses who have chosen to sponsor the Scholars Boosters fund since we first met during last school year. A letter similar to the glossy mailout that when home in the spring was included in every student's Open House registration/information folder. We have a framed display that will hang near the front office. It was created just prior to Open House, so we will update it after we receive contributions during the first nine weeks. Thank you all for your interest and support!

We are happy to report that we are getting a good response to our mailout intended to raise funds and firm up our base of parents and businesses who are interested in supporting programs at Scholars Academy. We set May 1, 2016 as the deadline for the sponsors' name to be listed in the 2015-16 Scholars Showcase magazine. Monday is May 2, so we will definitely add names of sponsorships that are received that day. There will be a framed display on campus that will list our sponsors as well. We extend our gratitude to all that have helped with this effort. Sponsorship levels are as follows: Corporate Diamond Booster: $2500 - $5000, Platinum Booster: $1000 - $2499, Gold Booster: $500 - $999, Silver Booster: $250 - $499, Bronze Booster: $100 - $249, Red Booster: $25 - $99, Bulldog Booster (student): $5 - $24. ​

Be on the look-out for a "!0 Years of Scholars" fundraising campaign letter. We sent a letter to each home of our current enrollment, and we will hand deliver remaining letters to businesses and alumni. Contact Julie von Hellens if you would like to help with the distribution of fundraising letters. The letter includes the purpose of our group, an explanation of the contribution levels, and a deadline of May 1, 2016 for names to be published in our annual Scholars Showcase magazine. We will also have a framed display of contributors on campus. Have a wonderful Spring Break!

Bulldog Café @ 6pm: Desiree Celaya opened the meeting and asked all new attendees to sign in at the laptop for future communication purposes. She then introduced Darrell Allen from Concerned Citizens for Better Schools to discuss E-SPLOST.

Darrell Allen reported on the history of E-SPLOST and explained that the vote on March 1st would continue the tax that is already in effect through 2017. The new vote concerns the years 2018-2022 and has a 42 million dollar cap. The funds are dispersed based on enrollment and historically the city schools have received 33-34%. This is a sales tax, not an income tax, therefore all those who visit our area contribute too. 98% of counties in Georgia currently have/use E-SPLOST. Dr. Graham added that Scholars school safety will greatly be helped through E-SPLOST funds by adding cameras and lighting. The aging air conditioning system will also be updated throughout the school in addition to upgrades to the multipurpose room.

Desiree Celaya reported on old business and new business:

The new website is up and running.

“A Visit with Santa” was a huge success and made $862. The plan is to make this an annual Scholars Academy Booster Event.

The advisory board of the Scholars Academy Booster Club will meet and decide on hierarchy and specific roles. (January 27 @ 2p in Desiree’s office/room.

The notes/minutes from meetings will be placed in blog format on the website for all Boosters to refer to.

Fundraiser Campaign will begin soon. Donors will be listed on the website and on a framed poster at the office. A mail-out committee spearheaded by Julie von Hellens will begin compiling a list of alumni and business to include in addition to current families. Membership levels are posted on the blog and Desiree is working to create an official membership form as well.

The Advisory Board will need to have a volunteer coordinator on it.

Upcoming Events at the Scholars Academy:

Moonlight & Magnolias (Valentine’s Day Dance) will be Friday 2/12. Middle school is from 6:30-8:30 in the multipurpose room, and then Dr. Graham has approved the high school students will follow after them from 9:00-11:00p. Parents are needed to provide set up, refreshments, clean up, and chaperoning.

Bulldog Dash will be followed by Scholars Classical Fair on 3/5. Second Annual Bulldog Dash starts at 8:30am. Under the leadership of Mr. Gammel, the Latin Club will hold the Classical Fair from 11:30-1:30. $5 per child and the HOSA club from THS will sell lunch as well.

South Pacific will be performed on 3/18 and 3/19. This year, a themed dinner will be offered in our cafeteria prior to the musical.

Desiree closed the meeting and asked that all those interested in sitting on the advisory board stay after to decide on a meeting time.

​Please attend our next meeting on January 21 in the Bulldog Café at 6:00 p.m. to learn more about our membership drive, the success of our first fundraising activity, and how you can get involved with upcoming events.In December, “A Visit with Santa” was a success both financially and creatively. Volunteers worked hard to create a magical and fun morning for local families. Our traditional February middle school dance will have a “Moonlight & Magnolias” theme, and we will need your help to make it a success. Similar to the Sadie Hawkins Dance this past fall, we are extending the invitation to our high school students for the second half of the evening.We are also planning a “Ten Years of Scholars Academy” membership campaign that will not only involve our parents but also alumni and businesses who feel the same passion as our parents about the goals of Scholars Academy. Sponsorship levels are as follows: Corporate Diamond Booster: $2500 - $5000, Platinum Booster: $1000 - $2499, Gold Booster: $500 - $999, Silver Booster: $250 - $499, Bronze Booster: $100 - $249, Red Booster: $25 - $99, Bulldog Booster (student): $5 - $24. We already have a Platinum Booster, so please attend the meeting so that you can be enlightened about the needs and benefits associated with this school support organization.

​Scholars Boosters Steering CommitteeThursday, December 3, 2015 – AgendaSign in at laptop and on clipboard - Indicate availability or leadership interestWhy are we here? Mission/Vision Statement & Booster Club TipsItems for wish list – please submit at end of the meetingCommunication

Mission:

Scholars Boosters aim to contribute with volunteering, funding, and distributing information so that the school’s faculty, academics, extracurricular programs, and social events will grow and thrive for the benefit of all Scholars Academy students and Thomasville City Schools as a whole.